The Economist Intelligence Unit has one of the largest and
most experienced country analysis teams in the world

About us

Who we are

The Economist Intelligence Unit helps business leaders prepare for opportunity, empowering them to act with confidence when making strategic decisions.

Success when operating internationally means understanding how tomorrow will differ from today. From such insight comes opportunity. Our forecasting and advisory services have informed entrepreneurs, financiers and government figures around the world since 1946. Our coherent and impartial assessment of the future can be depended on to deliver the insight needed to succeed in a complex and changing world.

Best analytical minds

Our analysts are of the highest calibre, determined to seek out the facts that will steer their analytical thinking. Their economic, political and business expertise is augmented by our worldwide network of country specialists.

This extensive resource allows us to question, dissect and unravel the most complex topics using on-the-ground insight, supplying the context you need to take the right decision for your organisation.

Distinguished by integrity, strengthened by heritage

Our clients tell us they value our integrity above all else. It underpins everything we do and is never compromised.

We operate as an independent business within The Economist Group and share a steadfast commitment to clarity and independence of thought with our sister organisation, The Economist. For more than six decades, we have been delivering impartial business intelligence to our clients, equipping decision-makers with insight they can trust.

Comprehensive global coverage

We operate in virtually every country and cover every developed and emerging market. Our understanding of local nuances brings a level of insight about individual countries and industries that you cannot find elsewhere.

It is not just our global reach that sets us apart. The breadth of our knowledge, gained from decades of research and analytical experience, gives our clients the confidence to base decisions on EIU intelligence.

How we work

The Economist intelligence Unit prepares business leaders for opportunity. We accomplish this by delivering accurate and impartial forecasts and analysis which empower our clients to act with confidence when making strategic decisions.

Everything we do is underpinned by our core principles:

Uncompromising integrity

Relentless rigour

Precise communication

The principles are upheld by everyone who works at the Economist Intelligence Unit. They inspire us to delve deeper and explore further. They motivate us consistently to produce the most robust intelligence available about the world’s markets with clear and logical analysis that supports decision-making.

Uncompromising integrity

We believe this gives us the edge in preparing business leaders for opportunity. Our editorial independence is carefully guarded, and allows us to draw conclusions that challenge conventional wisdom or vested interests.

Our analysis is often provocative—but always well reasoned—because our customers expect us to push their thinking and challenge the status quo. This is especially important when considering crossborder strategies and their implications for risk and reward.

Relentless rigour

We apply the utmost care and meticulous attention to detail to every analysis, every study, every projection and every commentary that carries the Economist Intelligence Unit brand. Our reputation for trusted business intelligence depends on it.

We use only the best data to compile our forecasts. This often requires us to go beyond standard sources—our analysts and contributors go to great lengths to obtain unpublished data not normally available to the public. For example, we have a unique relationship with the National Bureau of Statistics in China that allows us to clarify issues around Chinese data, which are notoriously difficult to interpret.

We make it easy for our clients to compare EIU forecasts for different countries because we apply a single set of global assumptions. These assumptions include commodity forecasts, price estimates, and exchange and interest rates for the world’s major economies.

Our analysts use a variety of sophisticated proprietary forecasting models. These have been developed and honed to ensure our methodology generates consistently reliable outputs. But they are not used blindly—since any model is only an approximation of the real world, we also rely on our analysts’ expertise and judgment to generate our assessments. These then go through rigorous quality-control and review procedures to ensure the published forecasts meet the clarity, accuracy and consistency standards for which we are renowned.

Clear and precise communication

Our customers look to us to help them make sense of the business world.

We do this by presenting our forecasts clearly and precisely, turning raw data into information you can use and act upon with confidence. We give straightforward answers to your questions, and provide clarity about the relevance and impact of specific events on your business. Our experts and analysts are able to draw out the most salient points to equip you with knowledge to stimulate and shape your strategies.

For the growing number of clients who are looking for bespoke intelligence, we can interpret and analyse the facts for you, providing the insight you need to make the right decisions.

Whatever your requirements for business intelligence—from a macro level to a high degree of customisation for a particular market or sector—we will deliver concise information that is easy to understand, backed up by a depth of expertise that is unmatched.

Make sense of the future and see greater possibilities with business intelligence from the Economist Intelligence Unit—the most assured way to prepare for opportunity.